In-vehicle controller and non-transitory tangible computer readable medium

Abstract

An in-vehicle controller includes: a first control element for outputting a first output, which corresponds to functional safety standards, in response to a input; a first platform element for controlling a first software in the first control element; a second control element for outputting a second output, which does not correspond to the functional safety standards, in response to the input; a second platform element for controlling a second software in the second control element; and a comparison coupling element for comparing and coupling the first output and the second output, and for outputting a coupled output to an external control object device. The first platform element controls the first software in the first control element independently from the second platform element, which controls the second software in the second control element.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An in-vehicle controller comprising:
 a first control element for outputting a first output, which corresponds to functional safety standards, in response to an input from another control element; 
 a first platform element for controlling a first software in the first control element; 
 a second control element for outputting a second output, which does not correspond to the functional safety standards, in response to the input, which is the same as the input of the first control element; 
 a second platform element for controlling a second software in the second control element; and 
 a comparison coupling element for comparing and coupling the first output and the second output, and for outputting a coupled output to an external control object device, 
 wherein the first control element calculates the first output as a calculation result based on the input, 
 wherein the second control element calculates the second output as a calculation result based on the input, 
 wherein the first platform element controls the first software in the first control element independently from the second platform element, which controls the second software in the second control element, and 
 wherein the first control element, the first platform element, the second control element, the second platform element, and the comparison coupling element are provided by one electronic control unit. 
 
     
     
       2. The in-vehicle controller according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein one of the first control element, the first platform element, the second platform element and the comparison coupling element, or one of combinations selected from the first control element, the first platform element, the second control element, the second platform element and the comparison coupling element cooperate together to restrict an occurrence of a functional failure of the second control element. 
 
     
     
       3. The in-vehicle controller according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein one of the first control element, the first platform element, the second platform element and the comparison coupling element, or one of combinations selected from the first control element, the first platform element, the second control element, the second platform element and the comparison coupling element cooperate together to transfer the coupled output from the comparison coupling element to a safety state when functional failure of the second control element occurs. 
 
     
     
       4. The in-vehicle controller according to  claim 3 ,
 wherein the first software in the first control element is prepared by retrieving a part of the second software of the second control element, the part of the second software relating to a function, which is required to correspond to the functional safety standards, and by conforming the part of the second software with the functional safety standards. 
 
     
     
       5. The in-vehicle controller according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the in-vehicle controller controls to execute: a first process for inputting the input into the second control element or the second platform element via the first control element or the first platform element; a second process relating to the first control element and the second control element; and a third process relating to the comparison coupling element, and 
 wherein the first process to the third process are executed in an order from the first process to the third process via the second process. 
 
     
     
       6. The in-vehicle controller according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein a part of or a whole of a process relating to the second control element is executed between a process other than a process relating to the comparison coupling element and the process relating to the comparison coupling element. 
 
     
     
       7. The in-vehicle controller according to  claim 2 ,
 wherein a program in the first software of the first control element is detachable. 
 
     
     
       8. The in-vehicle controller according to  claim 2 , further comprising:
 a memory having a plurality of arrangement blocks, 
 wherein the arrangement blocks include a first arrangement block and a second arrangement block, which is different from the first arrangement block, 
 wherein the first arrangement block stores a program in the first software of the first control element, and the second arrangement block stores a program in the second software of the second control element, and 
 wherein the memory sets an arrangement address in each arrangement block. 
 
     
     
       9. An in-vehicle controller comprising:
 a first control element for outputting a first output, which corresponds to functional safety standards, in response to an input from another control element; 
 a first platform element for controlling a first software in the first control element; 
 a second control element for outputting a second output, which does not correspond to the functional safety standards, in response to the input, which is the same as the input of the first control element; 
 a second platform element for controlling a second software in the second control element; and 
 a comparison coupling element for comparing and coupling the first output and the second output, and for outputting a coupled output to an external control object device, 
 wherein the first control element calculates the first output as a calculation result based on the input, 
 wherein the second control element calculates the second output as a calculation result based on the input, 
 wherein the second software of the second control element is assigned to a conventional software, 
 wherein the first software of the first control element is assigned to a newly developed software, and 
 wherein the first control element, the first platform element, the second control element, the second platform element, and the comparison coupling element are provided by one electronic control unit. 
 
     
     
       10. The in-vehicle controller according to  claim 9 ,
 wherein a program in the first software of the first control element is detachable. 
 
     
     
       11. The in-vehicle controller according to  claim 10 ,
 wherein the program in the first software of the first control element is stored in a first file, 
 wherein a program in the second software of the second control element is stored in a second file, which is different from the first file, and 
 wherein each of the first file and the second file is detachable. 
 
     
     
       12. The in-vehicle controller according to  claim 10 , further comprising:
 a memory having a plurality of arrangement blocks, 
 wherein the arrangement blocks include a first arrangement block and a second arrangement block, which is different from the first arrangement block, 
 wherein the first arrangement block stores the program in the first software of the first control element, and the second arrangement block stores a program in the second software of the second control element, and 
 wherein each program in a respective arrangement block is detachable in the memory. 
 
     
     
       13. The in-vehicle controller according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein, when a connection object is set, the connection object is connected to a non-transitory tangible computer readable medium, 
 wherein the non-transitory tangible computer readable medium includes instructions being executed by a computer, 
 wherein the instructions include: setting a connection source and a connection object of a daisy chain in order to contact a program, and 
 wherein the program relates to a software corresponding to functional safety standards. 
 
     
     
       14. The in-vehicle controller according to  claim 1 , wherein the first control element uses the input during the calculation of the first output and the second control element uses the input during the calculation of the second output. 
     
     
       15. The in-vehicle controller according to  claim 9 , wherein the first control element uses the input during the calculation of the first output and the second control element uses the input during the calculation of the second output.